VeggieTales
VeggieTales is a children's animated direct-to-video series created by Big Idea featuring anthropomorphic vegetables in stories conveying moral themes based on Christianity. This show seems to be most popular, but despite fans' hopes and doubts it was going to continue running, it was eventually cancelled around 2018. In March 2019, Phil Vischer announced on his Twitter that a spin-off titled "The VeggieTales Show" was going to debut in the fall of that year, along with an Untitled "VeggieTales" movie with no set release date. History The show was created by Phil Vischer and Mike Nawrocki when they wanted to create a series of videos teaching children about stories and lessons from the Bible, while making it fun and entertaining. Phil originally started out in 1990 when he wanted to use candy bars as a basis. However, his wife objected the idea as she thought it was a bad influence on kids. So he drew a cucumber and thought that was the best choice, vegetables. He chose these objects as he said they were easy to animate as compared to characters with limbs, clothes, or hair because of the limitations on 3D graphics during the early '90s. Phil then joined with Mike Nawrocki, who they both did puppet shows in Bible college. Phil did one on "The Princess and the Pea," but telling it from the pea's perspective, but never made it as a puppet show. Ultimately, the sketches Phil drew became the basis for VeggieTales. The name itself came from Mike Nawrocki, as he felt it was a good title as it was about vegetables telling stories. While Toy Story is considered the first animated film to use computer imagery for film, VeggieTales is the first video series using that type of animation prior to the film's release. The series started with only either one or two episode(s) per year, until the company grew and produced three videos per year as of 2014. Since then, no new episodes of the series have been produced, likely due to Big Idea being too busy making and focusing on the Netflix series. In 2014, shortly after the release of Beauty and the Beet (the last episode to feature the original look of the characters), Netflix released 11 minute shorts exclusively along with new redesigns of the original cast. In a recent podcast, Phil says that they have colored iris' (similar to the Sonic the Hedgehog series) and their mouths are more dynamic. He also says that Archibald's hair looks swirly. "Cancellation"/Hiatus Following the release of the episode Noah's Ark on March 3, 2015, Big Idea didn't announce any new plans for further VeggieTales home video releases, seemingly focusing solely on the Netflix series. In June 2017, Mike Nawrocki appeared on the Christian talk show Today's Life, and said "If there's ever an opportunity to do something VeggieTales-related again, I would love to do that." Furthermore, Nawrocki's LinkedIn profile states that he left his position at Big Idea in February 2016. The second and final season of VeggieTales in the City subsequently premiered on Netflix in late 2017. At the 2018 Christian Worldview Film Festival, Mike Nawrocki confirmed that he was no longer working on VeggieTales, and there was nothing in production. Phil Vischer stated that he wasn't returning to work on new episodes, and on July 1, 2018, he explained on Twitter that the team who specifically produced home video releases was dismissed in 2015, while the Netflix series team wrapped up their work in Summer 2017. Comcast shut down Big Idea's offices in Nashville shortly afterward. Vischer has confirmed that Big Idea's employees continue to work for Big Idea, and haven't been laid off.Phil Vischer on Twitter: "Big Idea still exists. The HQ office in Nashville closed. Several people still work out of their homes managing social media and other deals. There could still be more veggies...." This could mean that the show may still continue in the future. Revival On March 28th, Eric Metaxas posted a tweet featuring him with Phil Vischer and Mike Nawrocki. He said that TBN had purchased the rights to VeggieTales and are making a new series. Later on, Phil posted a tweet correcting the misconception; it turns out TBN only purchased licensing rights and will use the characters. Phil and Mike are going to be key writers for a new spin-off show that's currently known as The VeggieTales Show, which is planned to release in late 2019. On the same day, Phil Vischer confirmed that Universal had also started early development on a VeggieTales feature film. It will also have Phil's involvement, possibly as a key writer. Episode Set-Ups * Every episode (with the exception of some special episodes) starts on a kitchen countertop where Bob and Larry (or anyone else) introduce themselves and receive a letter from a kid. After reading the letter, Bob and Larry would have small discussions on how they would answer the kids letter via a story. * After the first segment of an episode, Silly Songs with Larry are served as the shows intermissions where Larry appears on the countertop and sing ridiculous songs. **Starting with The Ballad of Little Joe, the Silly Songs are now shown off the countertop. * After Silly Songs with Larry, the second segment of that episode is then shown. Are You My Neighbor? is the first VeggieTales episode to have its main segment served as the second segment while the first two episodes main segments were shown first. **Occasionally, the episode is just one story. * At the end of every show, Bob and Larry would receive a verse from Qwerty as the What Have We Learned song is played. The episode then ends with Bob and Larry saying "''God made you special, and he loves you very much" ''and the credits roll. Characters * Bob the Tomato * Larry the Cucumber * Junior Asparagus * Laura Carrot * Jimmy and Jerry Gourd * Archibald Asparagus * Mr. Lunt * Mr. Nezzer * The French Peas * Petunia Rhubarb * Madame Blueberry Episodes Season 1 (1993-2004) #Where's God When I'm S-Scared? (1993) (1993 production) #God Wants Me to Forgive Them!?! (1994) (1994 production) #Are You My Neighbor? (1995) (1995 production) #Rack, Shack and Benny (1995) (1995 production) #Dave and the Giant Pickle (1996) (1996 production) #The Toy That Saved Christmas (1996) (1996 production) #Very Silly Songs! (1997) (1997 production) #Larry-Boy! and the Fib from Outer Space! (1997) (1997 production) #Josh and the Big Wall! (1997) (1997 production) #Madame Blueberry (1998) (1998 production) #The End of Silliness? (1998) (1998 production) #Larry-Boy and the Rumor Weed (1999) (1999 production) #King George and the Ducky (2000) (2000 production) #Esther... The Girl Who Became Queen (2000) (2000 production) #Lyle the Kindly Viking (2001) (2001 production) #The Ultimate Silly Song Countdown (2001) (2001 production) #Jonah Sing-Along Songs and More! (2002) (2002 production) #The Star of Christmas (2002) (2002 production) #The Wonderful World of Auto-Tainment! (2003) (2003 production) #The Ballad of Little Joe (2003) (2003 production) #An Easter Carol (2004) (2003 production) Season 2 (2004-2015) #A Snoodle's Tale (2004) (2004 production) #Sumo of the Opera (2004) (2004 production) #Duke and the Great Pie War (2005) (2004 production) #Minnesota Cuke and the Search for Samson's Hairbrush (2005) (2005 production) #Lord of the Beans (2005) (2005 production) #Sheerluck Holmes and the Golden Ruler (2006) (2005 production) #LarryBoy and the Bad Apple (2006) (2006 production) #Gideon: Tuba Warrior (2006) (2006 production) #Moe and the Big Exit (2007) (2006 production) #The Wonderful Wizard of Ha's (2007) (2007 production) #Tomato Sawyer and Huckleberry Larry's Big River Rescue (2008) (2008 production) #Abe and the Amazing Promise (2009) (2008 production) #Minnesota Cuke and the Search for Noah's Umbrella (2009) (2009 production) #Saint Nicholas: A Story of Joyful Giving (2009) (2009 production) #Pistachio - The Little Boy That Woodn't (2010) (2009 production) #Sweetpea Beauty (2010) (2010 production) #It's a Meaningful Life (2010) (2010 production) #Twas The Night Before Easter (2011) (2010 production) #Princess and the Popstar (2011) (2011 production) #The Little Drummer Boy (2011) (2011 production) #Robin Good and His Not-So-Merry Men (2012) (2011 production) #The Penniless Princess (2012) (2012 production) #The League of Incredible Vegetables (2012) (2012 production) #The Little House That Stood (2013) (2012 production) #MacLarry and the Stinky Cheese Battle (2013) (2013 production) #Merry Larry and the True Light of Christmas (2013) (2013 production) #Veggies in Space: The Fennel Frontier (2014) (2013 production) #Celery Night Fever (2014) (2014 production) #Beauty and the Beet (2014) (2014 production) #Noah's Ark (2015) (2014 production) Feature Films #Jonah: A VeggieTales Movie (2002) (2002 production) #The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything: A VeggieTales Movie (2008) (2007 production) Gallery VeggieTales Logo (1993-1998).jpg|(1993-1998) VeggieTales Logo (1998-2009).jpg|(1998-2009) VeggieTales Logo (2009-2014).jpg|(2009-2014) VeggieTales Logo (2014-2019).jpg|(2014-2019) The VeggieTales Show Logo (2019-present).jpg|(2019-Present) Category:VeggieTales